Trump admin updates: White House officials hold prayer vigil for Charlie Kirk

Republican lawmakers gathered at the Kennedy Center.

Last Updated: September 14, 2025, 9:58 PM EDT

White House officials and Republican lawmakers gathered at the Kennedy Center at 6 p.m. to hold a prayer vigil in remembrance of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

On Saturday, after long promising to impose consequences on Russia in an effort to get President Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table to end the war in Ukraine, President Donald Trump pressed NATO nations to join him before he imposes potential sanctions.

Speaker Mike Johnson said Sunday that there is an appetite in Congress to impose sanctions on Russia, which he said are "overdue."

Sep 09, 2025, 12:25 PM EDT

White House pushes Congress to confirm Trump's BLS pick

The White House put out a statement Tuesday calling on Congress to move forward and confirm E.J. Antoni, Trump's nominee for BLS commissioner, following the jobs revision data released earlier in the day.

"The stark revisions underscore the urgent need for Congress [to] confirm E.J. Antoni, President Trump's nominee for BLS commissioner, and begin the major reforms needed to restore Americans' trust in the data after years of inaccuracy that has misled policymakers and eroded confidence," the White House said in its statement.

President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting on religious liberty in education at the Museum of the Bible in Washington, September 8, 2025.
Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images

Trump fired BLS commissioner Erika McEntarfer last month following the release of the July jobs numbers, which showed a slowdown from previous months.

-ABC News' Michelle Stoddart

Sep 08, 2025, 6:03 PM EDT

White House touts Chicago ICE operation

A White House spokesperson, in a statement provided to ABC News, said ICE’s Operation Midway Blitz will "make Illinois communities safer" and is consistent with the Trump administration's commitment to arresting and deporting "dangerous criminal illegal aliens."

The White House's statement did not address ABC News’ question to clarify whether National Guard or other military troops were being ordered to Chicago by the administration.

An ICE agent walks past people waiting for an appointment on their status at a Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Broadview in Broadview, Illinois, September 8, 2025.
Octavio Jones/Reuters

“For years, Democrat politicians looked the other way while criminal illegal aliens terrorized American communities — even embracing ‘sanctuary’ policies to protect these sick criminals. No more. The Trump Administration is committed to arresting and deporting these dangerous criminal illegal aliens and Operation Midway Blitz, honoring Katie Abraham who was killed by a criminal illegal alien, will make Illinois communities safer,” said Abigail Jackson, a White House spokeswoman, in a statement.

-ABC News’ Isabella Murray

Sep 08, 2025, 6:02 PM EDT

Hegseth and Caine visit counter-cartel troops in Puerto Rico

The Pentagon’s top two officials were in Puerto Rico on Monday visiting with U.S. troops operating in a key area of the Trump administration’s operations against South American drug cartels.

Secretary Pete Hegseth and Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, were greeted by Puerto Rico Gov. Jenniffer González-Colón, who posted photos of their arrival on her social media account. After speaking to some U.S. military personnel at an undisclosed airstrip, they traveled to the USS Iwo Jima amphibious assault vessel, which is located off the southeast coast of Puerto Rico and carries MV-22 Ospreys, AV-8 Harrier jets, and 2,200 Marines.

The three-ship USS Iwo Jima amphibious ready group are some of the eight vessels that have been made available to U.S. Southern Command for counter-cartel operations. The Iwo Jima and the other two ships are participating in an exercise off Puerto Rico.

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth attends a bilateral meeting with United States President Donald J. Trump and President Karol Nawrocki of the Republic of Poland (not pictured) in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, Sept. 3, 2025.
Aaron Schwartz/EPA/Shutterstock

Reuters published a recent photo of an MQ-9 Reaper drone armed with Hellfire missiles as it taxied on a runway at the airport in Aguadilla, which is located on the western part of Puerto Rico. It is believed the boat targeted by a U.S. airstrike last week in the Caribbean may have been struck by a missile fired from a drone like the MQ-9 Reaper.

-ABC News’ Luis Martinez

Sep 08, 2025, 4:25 PM EDT

Pritzker's office said it hasn't heard from Trump admin on ICE operation

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker responded to ICE beginning an expanded operation in Chicago on Monday.

"Once again, this isn't about fighting crime. That requires support and coordination -- yet we've experienced nothing like that over the past several weeks," Pritzker wrote on X. "Instead of taking steps to work with us on public safety, the Trump Administration's focused on scaring Illinoisians."

A spokesperson for Pritzker also said that the governor's office "has received no formal communication or information from the Trump Administration" about the operation and is learning about any developments over social media.

An ICE agent walks past people waiting for an appointment on their status at a Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Broadview in Broadview, Illinois, September 8, 2025.
Octavio Jones/Reuters

-ABC News' Isabella Murray

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